de·cel·er·ate
(ˌ)dē-ˈse-lə-ˌrāt 
decelerated; decelerating
1
: to reduce the speed of : slow down
decelerate a car
2
: to decrease the rate of progress of
decelerate growth
decelerate soil erosion
: to move at decreasing speed
de·cel·er·a·tion
(ˌ)dē-ˌse-lə-ˈrā-shən
plural -s
1
: the act or process of decelerating
deceleration of a truck by braking
deceleration of an aging process
2
: the rate of decrease in velocity
aeromedical research has shown that people can withstand high decelerations
Examples of decelerate in a Sentence
Verb
she decelerated the car as we entered the school zone
Recent Examples on the Web
Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 18 June 2026
By contrast, Wall Street expects the company's ARR to decelerate over the same periods, Sultan noted.
—Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 16 June 2026
The system relied on an 11-parachute sequence to safely decelerate the capsule carrying a crew of four astronauts from over 25,000 mph in space to a gentle 20 mph splashdown.
—Pat Maio, Oc Register, 29 May 2026
Nvidia’s growth outlook, while still strong, is expected to decelerate in the coming years, which could further impede the stock’s momentum.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for decelerate
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Verb
And unlike hitting a tree or another car, impact with a moose typically doesn’t cause the car to decelerate fast enough to trigger airbags.
—Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 18 June 2026
By contrast, Wall Street expects the company's ARR to decelerate over the same periods, Sultan noted.
—Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 16 June 2026
The system relied on an 11-parachute sequence to safely decelerate the capsule carrying a crew of four astronauts from over 25,000 mph in space to a gentle 20 mph splashdown.
—Pat Maio, Oc Register, 29 May 2026
Nvidia’s growth outlook, while still strong, is expected to decelerate in the coming years, which could further impede the stock’s momentum.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for decelerate
Cite this Entry
“Decelerate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decelerate. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
decelerate
verb
de·cel·er·ate
(ˈ)dē-ˈsel-ə-ˌrāt
decelerated; decelerating
: to move or cause to move at decreasing speed : slow down
Medical Definition
decelerate
verb
de·cel·er·ate
(ˈ)dē-ˈsel-ə-ˌrāt
decelerated; decelerating
: to reduce the speed of : slow down
: to move at decreasing speed
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